HAYES: The art of pitch receiving: Inside the Twins’ efforts to steal more strikes

[Tom Froemming]

The Athletic (subscription required and very much endorsed) just published an outstanding article from Dan Hayes, who got some additional help from Eno Sarris. Here's the link. It's an incredibly deep piece with insights from Mitch Garver, Ben Rortvedt, Jason Castro, minor league catching coordinator Tanner Swanson that focuses on the skill of receiving and how the Twins are working to improve this area they've long trailed behind other teams.

[amjgt]

I’d be interested to know from the experts....

 

What’s more important?

Stealing strikes or not giving away strikes?

[Nine of twelve]

 

I’d be interested to know from the experts....

What’s more important?
Stealing strikes or not giving away strikes?

This is a Ginger-or-Mary-Ann question. The answer is both. Influencing the umpires to make calls in your favor is a good thing for your team.

[amjgt]

This is a Ginger-or-Mary-Ann question. The answer is both. Influencing the umpires to make calls in your favor is a good thing for your team.

Maybe I should phrase it differently. What’s the larger number? Strikes that are realistically stealable or legit strikes that are missed due to poor receiving.

[Linus]

Maybe I should phrase it differently. What’s the larger number? Strikes that are realistically stealable or legit strikes that are missed due to poor receiving.

I think you are on it. I don’t think superior receiving skills steal many strikes but bad hands turn some strikes into balls

[ewen21]

 

Maybe I should phrase it differently. What’s the larger number? Strikes that are realistically stealable or legit strikes that are missed due to poor receiving.

This.  The notion that you can steal strikes from umpires for a living is ridiculous.  This stuff is getting a lot of attention (surely umpires talk about this) and guys who have reputations as great "pitch framers" will eventually have umpire bias work against them because basically they are messing with the umpire's zone integrity.

 

"Stealing strikes" to an umpire has a negative connotation for the umpire.  When these rags put out lists of the league's best pitch framers eventually they won't be.  Umps can take that away with subtle bias

 

A lot of the other stuff about flexibility and knowing how to catch a low strike makes sense.  In other words, don't make a strike look like a ball.

[Doctor Wu]

 

This.  The notion that you can steal strikes from umpires for a living is ridiculous.  This stuff is getting a lot of attention (surely umpires talk about this) and guys who have reputations as great "pitch framers" will eventually have umpire bias work against them because basically they are messing with the umpire's zone integrity.

 

"Stealing strikes" to an umpire has a negative connotation for the umpire.  When these rags put out lists of the league's best pitch framers eventually they won't be.  Umps can take that away with subtle bias

 

A lot of the other stuff about flexibility and knowing how to catch a low strike makes sense.  In other words, don't make a strike look like a ball.

Some good points there. That's one of the aspects about pitch framing "skills" that has always baffled me: if the catcher gains the rep as an ace pitch framer, surely the umpires are going to catch on and adjust or retaliate in some way?

[nicksaviking]

 

I’d be interested to know from the experts....

What’s more important?
Stealing strikes or not giving away strikes?

 

That's probably more dependent on what kind of control (and reputation) your pitcher has.

 

Oh, sorry, you said experts, disregard.

[beckmt]

 

This.  The notion that you can steal strikes from umpires for a living is ridiculous.  This stuff is getting a lot of attention (surely umpires talk about this) and guys who have reputations as great "pitch framers" will eventually have umpire bias work against them because basically they are messing with the umpire's zone integrity.

 

"Stealing strikes" to an umpire has a negative connotation for the umpire.  When these rags put out lists of the league's best pitch framers eventually they won't be.  Umps can take that away with subtle bias

 

A lot of the other stuff about flexibility and knowing how to catch a low strike makes sense.  In other words, don't make a strike look like a ball.

It is more of a pitchers question.  Maddux and Glavine lived on hitting the catchers mitt.  It would start on the corner and  keep moving outside to see how much a ump would give them.  Some umps gave 3 inches on the outer edge.  That made them on those days almost unhittable.  Good catchers and framers can get an inch or a little more on the corner.  Those are worth their weight in gold.